Obstetrics: NICHD Research Goals

NICHD research on obstetrics and gynecology reflects a central part of the Institute’s mission and scientific portfolio. In addition to research on pregnancy and childbirth, the Institute also supports research on gynecological and related diseases. This research is also central to the NICHD’s broader research in women’s health, targeting diseases that only or primarily affect women; conditions that affect women differently; and the environmental, behavioral, and social factors that might influence women’s health. Some other key areas of the NICHD portfolio related to obstetric and gynecologic research include maternal health research on gestational diabetes, maternal HIV/AIDS, reducing HIV/AIDS transmissions to infants, maternal nutrition, better understanding of labor patterns, and better understanding of factors associated with the demographics of family formation.